Month: February 2014

A chef who was participating in a team building exercise during which he broke his wrist has settled his claim for compensation against his employer, Carton House.

In October 2006, Cathal Kavanagh (54) of Ongar, Dublin, was employed by the Carton House Spa and Golf Hotel in Maynooth, County Kildare, as the executive head chef. Cathal was attending a team-building exercise event with his colleagues in the Riverbanks Art Centre in Newbrifge when he was involved in an accident that resulted in him breaking his wrist.

Cathal and his colleagues from the hotel participated in a series of events and games during the day. One of these events was a relay race, in which Cathal was required to hop forwards and then run backwards. During the race. Cathal slipped on the surface and fell, breaking his wrist due to the impact of the fall. Cathal was transported to hospital, where his injury was treated.

Cathal sought legal counsel, and made a compensation claim for an injury on a team building exercise against the Carton House Spa and Golf Hotel-a four star facility-and the organisers of the day-JikiJela Ltd of County Sligo. He made a further claim against the owners of the Riverbank Arts Centre-Kildare County Council.

In his action, Cathal claimed that all three parties had been negligent in ensuring his safety as they had not ensured that the activities were safe for this who participated in them, and they hadn’t ensured that there was no danger present in the location of the event. All three of the defendants denied liability, and Cathal sought Authorisation from the Injuries Board for his claim to go to court. The Injuries Board granted this application.

The case was scheduled to be heard at the Circuit Civil Court by Mrs Justice Mary Irvine. However, following the first lunch break of the case, the judge was informed that Cathal’s compensation claim for an injury on a team-building exercise had been settled and that case could be struck.